Utah intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
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The terms of six Utah intermediate appellate court judges will expire on January 3, 2027. The six seats are up for retention election on November 3, 2026. The filing deadline is July 15, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the judges who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Judges may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if judges retire or are appointed.
■ Michele Christiansen
■ Gregory Orme
■ David Mortensen
■ Ryan M. Harris
■ John Luthy
■ Amy Oliver
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Utah
Selection
The nine judges on the Utah Court of Appeals are selected through assisted appointment. The governor selects a nominee from a list of recommended candidates from a judicial nominating commission. The nominee then must attain approval from the Utah Senate.
New appointees serve for at least three years, after which they must run in a yes-no retention election. If retained, appeals court judges serve subsequent terms of six years.[1]
Qualifications
To serve on the Utah Court of Appeals, a judge must be:
- a citizen of the United States;
- a state resident for at least three years;
- admitted to practice law in the state;
- at least 25 years old; and
- no more than 75 years old.[1]
Presiding judge
The presiding judge of the appeals court is selected by peer vote. The judge serves in that capacity for two years.[1]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs on the court, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of seven names recommended by a nominating commission. The nominee then must attain approval from the Utah Senate. New appointees serve for at least three years, after which they must run in a yes-no retention election. If retained, appeals court judges serve subsequent terms of six years.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Utah • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Utah
State courts:
Utah Supreme Court • Utah Court of Appeals • Utah District Courts • Utah Juvenile Courts • Utah Justice Courts
State resources:
Courts in Utah • Utah judicial elections • Judicial selection in Utah
